Telecommunication devices capable of both wireless local area network (WiLAN) and wireless wide area network (WiWAN) connectivity services are generally referred to as Fixed-Mobile Converged (FMC) devices. Currently, manufacturers have been developing FMC devices and the corresponding network infrastructure equipment to support both WiLAN service (the “fixed” service) and WiWAN service (the “mobile” service). A user of such a device would then be able to access communications services (voice, data, video, etc.) on a public or private WiLAN network or WiWAN network. The WiLAN network can be accessed via an interface, such as but not limited to IEEE 802.11a/b/g specifications (WiFi), when such a network is within range of the device and available to the user. WiLAN could be a logical partitioning of the WiWAN network. The WiWAN network can be accessed via an interface, such as one provided by a wireless carrier using an interface conforming to the Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication or Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) or other interface, when a user is not within the range or does not have permission to access a WiLAN network.
A typical use of an FMC device would be to allow a member of an organization (which could be the employee of a company, governmental department, or agency or even a member of a family) to access the organization's private WiLAN network for the purpose of making or receiving calls. For example, the private WiLAN network may include Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, such as a system referred to as a wireless PBX. The member can send or access data while in the range of the organization's private WiLAN network, and, in addition, can utilize the public WiWAN network provided by a wireless common carrier when not in the range of an available WiLAN network.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show flow diagrams of methods currently used by a member of an organization to procure and provision an FMC device and related services. Reference is first made to FIG. 1. In step (1), using one of several different processes (e.g., going to a retail store, ordering from a carrier service representative over the phone, purchasing over the Internet), a member or someone acting on behalf of the member procures an FMC device. This process also includes ordering or requesting a WiWAN service and routing the order to be approved by an administrator of the organization. Upon approval, the FMC device is shipped (step (1) to step (2)) to a fulfiller, for example, for fulfilling the WiWAN service for the device. Part of this process involves the purchase of a corresponding WiWAN service or, if the member already has a WiWAN service, (2) the assignment of that WiWAN service including the transfer or port of that service, from one carrier to another, to the new FMC device.
Once the purchase of the FMC device and initiation or transfer of WiWAN service has been affected, the device is shipped back to the member. At this point, the device is provisioned or configured only for WiWAN and would then need to be provisioned on the WiLAN infrastructure. This process would include, among other things, (3) forwarding the FMC device to an administrator for the generation of a user profile in the WiLAN infrastructure, (4) the loading of an application on the FMC device by the administrator, and (5) the programming of the FMC device to be able to access one or more WiLAN systems by the administrator. After these steps, the FMC device is finally (6) returned to the member for use.
With reference to FIG. 2, a method 200 includes requesting a device capable of local area service and a wide area wireless service, as in block 202. In block 204, the device configured for wide area service is received. In block 206, the local area service administrator is contacted to request local area service. In decision block 208, the administrator confirms whether or not the device is compatible. If not, the flow proceeds to block 209, in which the device is returned to the vendor for configuring or provisioning the device. If the device is confirmed as being compatible in block 208, flow proceeds to block 210.
In block 210, the member seeks approval from the administrator for local area wireless service. In decision block 212, it is determined whether or not the request for local area wireless service is denied. If so, the method returns to the beginning (block 202) to start the process over. If the request is not denied, the device is delivered to the local area service administrator (block 214). In block 216, the device is programmed according to device profiles, e.g. MAC address, mapping information, etc. In block 218, the administrator programs the local area service infrastructure of the organization to enter device profiles, member profiles, etc., into the system. In block 220, the device is returned to the user. The steps of method 200 include tasks associated with the tasks required by a member, user, and/or administrator to procure and provision the device.
Thus, it is apparent that current methods used by telecom and IT departments within organizations to procure and provision such FMC devices are complex, time-consuming, and expensive. Also, the burden of procuring and provisioning falls on the procurer and administrator. Consequently, the conventional methods represent a significant impediment to the large-scale deployment of FMC devices and services. There is therefore a need in this industry to overcome these deficiencies and inadequacies of current FMC deployment methods to better streamline the process of procuring and provisioning these FMC devices or other multi-service type devices.